Friday, 29 August 2008

They’ve written for Babyface and Teddy Riley, but now they’re stepping out from behind the boards. With their big pop hooks and Maroon-5 like melodies, we predict Irish trio The Script are about to be rather huge. Hattie Collins speaks to Mark to find out the craic!

Three-piece Irish band The Script are the latest buzz in the pop world. The Hoosiers asked them to support them on tour, Radio 1 playlisted them months in advance, while radio stations in their homeland even started a campaign to get the boys to No.1! “It’s funny,” says Mark, the group’s guitarist, who alongside drummer Glen and singer Danny is also producer and songwriter. “We’ve seen how it happened so fast with the Hoosiers and I’d be lying if I said we didn’t fancy a bit of that, but at the same we hope people get into the music with us first,” he says cautiously. “Then again, there’s nothing you can do about it I suppose, because the record label is really trying to make a load of money off you so... “

Indeed, they might not have too much choice in the matter. Especially when people get to see them live, where they really excel. Tracks like We Cry, for example become even more amazing when you hear Danny in the flesh and see how the band bring the music to life. It’s led to them being compared to everyone from U2 and the Police to Maroon 5 (but not fellow Irish-ers Westlife or Boyzone, thank God!) It’s also a sound a lot of hip hop and R&B heads will appreciate. “When I talk to anyone at the label they tell me not to mention hip hop and I know it’s a million miles from f*cking hip hop, however our roots and how we put stuff together is influenced by that,” Mark insists. “For example, we take a hip hop loop and then Glen will walk in and play over that. I grew up on Tribe Called Quest and then Common and Eminem and Kanye - all of us have always had a passion for the rhyme of hip hop, so we tend to use a melodic flow and a low bassline. Live, we push our kicks and snare and bass, rather than having loud, screeching guitars and banging drums.” It’s fair to say someone like Kanye might like the Script, right? “Well, yeah, hopefully,” nods Mark. “I think he’d be a great match for us. He went down the wrong road using Chris Martin,” he adds with a laugh. “He should have used us - he would have got a cooler song!

Danny and Mark met 15 years ago, when Mark sold Danny ‘some gear.’ We clarify exactly what he means by that, but apparently it was actually Cubase-based, nothing dodgy. A few years ago, Glen came onboard and the boys started to think about turning themselves into a production outfit rather than a group. “We got major interest when we were younger in Ireland,” Mark remembers. “We had a friend who knew U2’s manager, Paul McGuiness who really liked what we were doing, but felt we were a bit young and we needed to experience more in the production world. So we went to LA to work.” They jetted off to Hollywoodland, where they ended up working with the likes of Babyface and Teddy Riley, who they met after flying down to Virginia and ‘Turning up at his door with our guitars on our backs. Literally.’ They wound up doing some writing and programming while Riley worked on the second Blackstreet album and then got more work with other beatmakers. Ultimately though, they felt unfulfilled working for other people. “We got sick of writing a really cool song to then have some sh*t singer come in and do a crap job,” admits Mark. So they stuck Danny out front and began crafting gorgeous compositions.

“I think we encapsulate everything that’s going on in modern music,” says Mark. “People might not want to admit it, but everyone’s tastes have gotten broader. We’ve found a way of encapsulating all the best of those styles into a sonic fingerprint in a new sort of way. I hope we deliver that quality in music.”

Earlier this year, Danny suffered a collapsed lung, while Glen smashed his head open on the floor of a pub toilet. Is Mark worried he might be next? “I wasn’t until everyone kept saying it to me,” he exclaims. “Hopefully I’ll go down in style though – I’ll get a massive electric shock on stage instead of something sissy,” he grins. “Maybe we could set up a mad person in the audience to pop me or something?” Sorry Mark, the only pop you’re going near is the top of the charts (groan).

Who would you like to read a bedtime story to?I’d have to do it without my missus slitting my throat, but lets say, anything with a heartbeat! Nah, I suppose Kelly Brook is nice.

How’s the groupie love so far?Well, we’re getting sent a lot of strange pictures. Actually, there was a young girl in the show last night. She was all flirty and then she lifted her top up and on her stomach there was an arrow pointing down and it said ‘Insert here.’ I was like ohhhh-kay!